ONE of North Wales' biggest construction companies has blamed a local authority and the Welsh Assembly for its financial difficulties.

ONE of North Wales' biggest construction companies has blamed a local authority and the Welsh Assembly for its financial difficulties.

Colwyn Bay-based DJ Construction called in administrators last week threatening the jobs of nearly 180 workers and dozens of sub-contractors.

Last night the company said late payments for work done and delayed decisions by the Welsh Assembly had created an "untenable situation."

Managing Director Dewi Jones said directors had taken professional advice on the options available to them after the group made a significant trading loss between April and September this year.

In a statement, Mr Jones said: "The situation was exacerbated by the intervention and lack of decision on the Tir Mostyn Wind Development Project by the National Assembly, the construction of which would have been carried out by DJ Construction and could have secured the necessary financial strength of the group for the foreseeable future. Continual financial pressure and late payments for work done, including Conwy County Borough Council who persistently avoided settling final accounts, proved an untenable situation."

The Welsh Assembly rejected the company's claims.

A spokesman said: "DJ Construction appear to have gone into administration because the company appear unable to maintain profit margins in what has become an increasingly competitive market. This is not due to the absence of a specific renewable energy strategy for Wales."

He added that the public inquiry into the Tir Mostyn project is set to take place in Denbigh on December 4 as planned.

And Conwy Council denied claims they were late payers.

Council spokeswoman Eirian Edwards said: "The Council has been considering claims on final accounts submitted by DJ Construction but our officers have a clear difference of opinion as to the value of these claims.

"We are not aware that we have been a persistent late payer with this company."

Dewi Jones added that the workforce of DJ Construction and its associated company, Jennings Plant Services Ltd, will now have to be reduced significantly as a result of the company being placed in administration following its difficulties.

"There will inevitably be a large number of redundancies from the current workforce although the exact number will only be known in the course of the next few weeks.

"The directors are aware, and deeply regret, the knock-on effect that this decision will have on many smaller businesses in North Wales and beyond," he said.

DJ Construction was one of the UK's fastest growing regional contractors with a projected turnover this year of #25m.

Founded in 1971 by Dewi Jones, the company's early activities were predominantly in the civil engineering field.